Yousef Ahmed

Yousef Ahmad (b. 1955) is a Qatari artist, calligrapher, writer, and educator, born in Doha. A pioneer of modern art in Qatar, he trained at Helwan University in Cairo and earned his MFA from Mills College in California before returning to Doha to lead the Culture and Arts Department at the Ministry of Information, and later teach at Qatar University for over two decades.

He was the first Qatari to stage a solo exhibition dedicated to Hurufiyah-style calligraphy in Doha in 1977, marking a significant milestone in the country’s visual arts history. Ahmad’s paintings often reflect his environment, drawing from the desert’s textures, palm fronds, and architectural language, while overlaying textured abstraction with Arabic script to create a unique visual dialect.

His impact extends far beyond his art practice: he co founded the Modern Art Museum and Orientalist Museum in Doha and remains an art advisor to prominent cultural institutions, including Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. His works are held in major international collections, including the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as in private collections throughout Qatar and the wider region.